As Told By Aeris
by lolitaxox
Summary: It's time you've heard my story, isn't it?


_As Told by Aeris_

_Chapter 1: Heaven Sent_

I was tending to the flowers one day in the church. When I awoke that morning, I thought it would be a normal day, a day like any other. But that was when it happened…

A crash, followed by a bang scared me senseless. I looked up, watching a man clad in black fall from the ceiling of the church. Abruptly I stepped back, terrified, but I was a little relieved that he hadn't fallen on the flowers.

Although I was still scared, my good judgment told me I should see if he was okay. So, I made my way over to where he fell: right next to my flowerbed.

I tapped his shoulder. Nothing.

"M…Mom…?" I heard him mumble. At first, I thought he was referring to me, but then I realized he was probably having a some sort of dream. I was pulled out of my thoughts when he spoke again.

"I…I want to help out a friend of mine…" he said. "But I don't really know how…"

I knit my eyebrow. I finally decided, since he was probably responsive, to talk to him to see if he'd wake up.

I leaned over and called out, "Helloooo?"

The man's eyelid twitched. "Mom?"

I bit my lip, calling again. "Helloooooo?" when he opened his eyes, I smiled, standing straight from my leaning position. "Hooray!"

"Heaven?" The man glanced at me with half-lidded eyes. Obviously, he was confused of his settings. I grinned at how attractive he was. "Not quite." I said, "Church in the slums." My grin turned back into a smile as I tilted my head at him. But he still seemed to be confused.

"An angel…?"

I shook my head, the smile still on my face. "No. My name is Aeris!" I pirouetted and pointed up at the hole in the ceiling. "You fell from the sky."

He blinked as I turned back. "It scared me quite a bit." I said, giggling.

"Huh…" the man seemed to be registering what I said. "So you saved me?"

"Not really. All I said was, '_Helloooooo_?'"

The man began to laugh, then stood. "Thank you so much, Aeris." He smiled at me, and for some reason, I felt my heart flutter. "I'm Zack."

I watched him cross his arms over his seemingly muscular chest. "I have to repay you somehow," he said. But I shook my head. "You don't have to."

"No, no…" Zack began pacing around. He placed his gloved hand on his chin. "Hmmm…oh! I've got it!"

I blinked, perplexed.

"How about we go on a date?"

I blushed, but turned the other way, giggling once more. "What? We just met!" I grinned at him. "That's silly." I placed both my hands behind my back, watching him slump, then he began to walk over to the flowerbed. But I stopped him right before he stepped down.

"Hey wait!" I shouted. "Don't step on the flowers!"

Zack backed up. "Uh...excuse me?" he looked at me. I put my hands on my hips. "Normally people are cautious when around flowers," I said.

"Well…" Zack sighed. "I guess I'm not normal." He glanced at the flowerbed. "You know, flowers are uncommon in Midgar." He smiled. "These are practically luxuries."

I shrugged. "This is really the only place they grow, but I decided on planting some outside _my _house too,"

"If I were you," Zack said, placing his hands behind his head and pacing around once again, "I'd sell 'em."

"Hmm?"

"If Midgar's full of flowers, you're wallet's full of money." He chuckled and glanced at me.

I pressed my finger to my lip. "Midgar full of flowers…wallet full of…money?" I asked questioningly. "I've never really thought of that…"

After Zack convinced me to sell my "little luxuries" for money, he insisted that we go on a date. I, playing hard to get of course, reluctantly replied. We went on a walk.

:-:-:-:-:-:

We passed a stand that sold ribbons of all kinds. My face immediately lit up.

"Oooh!" I gushed, "Those are really pretty!" I smiled to myself. "As soon as I start selling flowers and I get enough money, I'm going to get one."

Zack, who was walking next to me, shrugged. "I'll buy it now if you want." He shot me a smile, and I blushed.

"Really?"

"Yes really." He pointed to the stand. "Pick any one you want."

I looked over all the ribbons. Plaid ones. Striped ones. Polka-dotted ones. But really, all I wanted was a simple, bright, warm, solid color to put in my hair. And, just like that, I spotted one. It was pink, and it was the only one left.

"This one, Zack!" I pointed to the ribbon in excitement.

Zack chuckled. I assumed it was because of how childish I was acting. He picked up the ribbon. "Okay then." He handed it to the vendor. "This please."

After he bought it, and I was having a little trouble, he said he'd put it on for me.

"How's that?'"

I touched the ribbon that now graced my long, brown braid. "Is it on right?" I asked. Zack smiled at me. "Yeah. It looks great!"

I turned around and smiled back. "Thank you so much, Zack." I felt my heart get all warm for some reason. "I'll wear it forever and ever."

:-:-:-:-:-:

"So, ever met anyone from SOLDIER?"

Zack and I were continuing our walk in a small neighborhood playground near the church. He answered me with a straight face.

"Maybe, maybe not."

I held my hands behind my back. "Do you think they're happy?"

Suddenly, Zack stopped walking. "What…do you mean?" I stopped as well and looked at the ground. "Heroes to children," I said, "protectors of the peace." Zack tilted his head. "But, I don't think they're normal..." my hands found their way back to my front and began to fiddle with each other. "They get some kind of special surgery, right?"

Zack shrugged. "That's what I've heard."

"Normal is best." I pressed my hand to my heart. "At least…_I _believe that. Those SOLDIER people are kind of odd." I watched as Zack crossed his arms and turned up his nose. "Odd, huh?"

"Yeah. And…scary…" I looked back up at my date. "They love violence." Zack sighed and bit his lip. "I'm a SOLDIER, Aeris."

I gasped, and as soon as he said that I knew I offended him. "I'm sorry!" I said. Zack didn't answer. He began to scratch the back of his head. But then I noticed something.

"So beautiful…" I muttered. Zack instantly smiled, pointing at himself. "What? My face?" I giggled. "Your _eyes_!"

He moved closer to me. "Take a closer look then." I grinned. "Eyes infused with mako energy. Signs of a SOLDIER."

We remained in that position for a while, and it seemed as if he was going to kiss me. But as soon as he leaned closer, I shoved his arm and laughed. "You're so silly!" I said. He laughed. "Color of the sky, am I right?"

I placed my hands behind my back for the third time. "Yup! But not scary at all."

Zack sighed. "I'll admit, things at SOLDIER haven't been normal at all lately…" he paused. "But what about you Aeris? How's life?"

"Well, I thought it would be a typical day." I shrugged. "But then, you fell from the sky!" he shrugged as well. "Well, that's not all that bad." I smiled at him, putting my finger to my lip.

"I know that now!" After all, now that I got to know this _Zack_ character, it seemed to me as if he was heaven sent.

:-:-:-:-:-:

Please review everyone! I really enjoyed writing this. Oh, and I changed up the words a little, but I think you know that lol.


End file.
